BJARNE PEDERSEN HEADS INTO FINAL SEASON....

BJARNE PEDERSEN first wore a Pirates racejacket, the number 4 one, on Sunday 24th March 2002, aged 23 years 255 days and last appeared in Pirates' clothing, with number three on his back, on Wednesday 21st September 2016 38 years and 71 days
 

Bjarne's final appearance for Poole came earlier than had been anticipated, and  remarkably he recorded his lowest ever Wimborne Road score , netting just one point from three rides in the club's Elite League play-off semi final first leg. His hopes of 'making amends' in the second leg, and getting a little bit closer to Craig Boyce's 4,498 points, were thwarted when he sustained a twisted knee whilst racing in the farewell meeting of another popular Scandinavian Pirate, Magnus Zetterstrom, just days before the trip to Wolverhampton and ending his season sooner than he would have liked.

His British career began with Newcastle at the turn of the millennium when he spent two seasons with the Diamonds before being snapped up by Matt Ford for the 2002 campaign. He served as a Pirate up to and including the 2010 season but joined Eastbourne in 2011. A move to Birmingham in 2012 preceded a switch back to the Eagles in 2013 for two seasons. His penultimate campaign was spent with Leicester but came back to his parent club in 2016.

2020 will be Bjarne's final season as a speedway rider as he is set bring his career to a close at the end of next season. He will go into speedway retirement in the knowledge that he helped Poole to three senior league titles (2003, 2004 and 2008) and currently ranks as the second all-time highest Poole scorer, with 3,753.5 points to his name.  The first two title years were also double winning seasons for the shy and quiet Pedersen who also rode in 71 GP rounds , scoring 519 points and winning the European round in 2004 held in Wroclaw, Poland.

Although not having been in a Poole side for the past three seasons, Pedersen still ranks amongst one of the true favourites and in a fitting tribute Poole promoter Matt Ford said "In my 21 years of running this wonderful club, unquestionably Bjarne would be the rider I would consider to have been the most loyal servant to the club.

"In truth, he  was very unlucky not to have a prolonged term with the club, but the discovery of Chris and Darcy and then Magic (Maciej Janowski) meant that with the restrictions of the point limit Bjarne was sadly not our first choice.

"I don’t even like saying that, because as I person he is simply the greatest friend I’ve had in the sport.
Bjarne had a Testimonial here in 2009, and it was always my intention to honour him with a Farewell also, which we have discussed.

"Whatever happens, I personally have to see Bjarne ride Wimborne Road again before he retires, whether that be as a Pirate, in a Challenge match or at his own Farewell meeting.

"Until then, I’m not talking about him in a past tense, as you just never know in this sport. To each and everyone of us, Bjarne Pedersen is a genuine Pirate Legend!